Deep-well-drilling apparatus



June 17, 1930, c. E. REED DEEP WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Sep. 22, 192'? rlll @l 1," rence E.Reed, f6 E 50M/Me iugm Cla l lll Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE E. REED, OF WICHITA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR A'.l'O CHICAGO PNEUMATICI TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DEEP-WELL-DBILLING APPARATUS Application led September 22, 1927. Serial No. 221,271.

My invention relates to improvements in.

deep well drilling apparatus, and more par-V ticularly it relates to improvements in the structure of the bit head.

An object of the invention is to eliminate excessively rapid wear of the bit head due to isihedcutting thereof vby sand in the flushing A further object is to provide means for preventing loss of oil due to leakage.

The invention consists in the features, combination, and arrangement of arts hereinafter set forth and particularly Ibrought out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the bit head.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the wash pipe plug.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view. of a preferred modified form of oil screw shown in place in the bit head.

Fig. 5 is a further modification. Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the bit-head having a central longitudinal bore 2 constituting a conduit for the flushing se fluid. The bore 2 has an enlargement 3 at its upper end screw threaded to receive wash pipe plug 4 having wrench sockets 4*.

The bore 2 is of uniform diameter and circular cross-section from its juncture with enlarged bore 3 down to within a short distance from its lower extremity at the crotch of the V-shaped recess 5. From point 6 to its extremity the bore 2 is flattened diametrically to nearly elliptical shape but with fiat opposed sides 7, as shown in Fig. 2. At 6 shoulders are provided on the head within the bore 2 by reason of the flattening of the bore and the shoulders provide for limiting downward movement of wash pipe 8 which is shaped ex ternally to fit the bore 2, both as tothe cylindrical portion and as to the flattened' portion thereof.

Internally the wash pipe 8 tapers at 9 down to a bore 10 attened similarly to the corresponding portion of bore 2. i

The wash pipe 8 which is preferably of manganese steel eliminates the very marked tendency of the fiushin fluid to cut the bore of the bit head, whic tendency has been particularly noticeable at the extreme lower end of the bore, vthat is, in the crotch of the V-shaped recess in the head. The exterior flattening of the wash pipe 8 is to hold it against rotation within the bore. The interior flattening of the wash pipe 8 is to produce a flattened nozzle which will deliver a fiattened jet to more effectively wash the cutters.

The shape of the sleeve or wash pipe 8 permits it to be cast of manganese steel, which is too hard to be machined. v

The wash pipe is assembled in the bit head by dropping 1t into the bore 2 from the threaded shank end. The wash pipe plug 4 is then screwed tightly into place, jamming against the sleeve or wash pipe and holding it securely in position, the wash pipebearing against shoulders 6. From this construction it will be apparent that the very hard manganese steel wash pipe will take all the scouring of the sand and eliminates such wear from the bit head.

It has also developed in field work that there is some leakage of oil about the shank 11 of the bearing, due to the extreme pressure existent in the bottom of the deep wells with the differential of pressure within'the stem. This leakage of oil about the shank inter-v feres with its passage to the interior of the cone roller cutter and some of the oil is 10st;

The present invention overcomes this didiculty by counterboring the end of the oil lead 12 in the bearing shank 11 and placing in this counterbore 13 a gasket or packin 14 made of rubber or h draulic packing, slig tly rojecting beyond t e periphery of the shank.

his packing or washer is bored 'with a hole 15 to align with the oil lead 1 2. The packing washer 14 which projects slightly beyond the peripheral surface of the shank is, upon insertlon of the shank 11 in its bore 16, compressed tightly against the Wall of the bore and seals the passage against leakage about the shank.

In Fig. 2 a development of this idea-is shown wherein two screw plugs 17 and 18 are used to effect a tight joint to prevent leakage of oil about the shank. The bit head is provided with a lateral bore 19 of varying diameter extending from communication with the bore 16 of the bearing shank 11 outwardly and opening at the outer wall of the bit head at 20. The bore 19 is screw threaded at its largest diameter outer portion 21 and at its smallest diameter inner portion 22, but not at its intermediate portion 23 which is of intermediate diameter. The counterbore 13 in the shank 11 is filled with a rubber gasket 24 against which a hollow plug 18 bears, the plug having screw threaded connection with portion 22 of the bore 19. The plug 18 isprovided with a rounded bearingJ edge 26 an a kerf 27 for screwing the plug y means of a driver inserted lthrough bore 19. Back of the gasket plug 18is the intermediate bore portion 23 which is in communication with the oil passage 28 in the bit head. The hole is closed by a body plug 17 screwed into the outer bore portion 21. By this construction the tension of the hollow gasket plug 18 will regulate the effectiveness of the seal against oil leakage.

Referring to Fig. 4, a very effective modification of the invention is shown in which but one screw plug is used. The inner end of this plug 30 is a straight cylindrical body portion with an enlarged diameter about the middle portion and a still larger diameter at the threaded' head of the plug. An annularl recess 31 is provided in the middle portion of the plug so that constant communication is assured with oil passage 32. Radial passages 33 connect recess 31 with bore 34 in the plug which communicates through washerv 35 with oil lead 36 and central bore 37 of the shank to convey the oil to the cutters. The plug is provided with a wrench socket 38 and a copper gasket 39 is used to seal the contact at s oulder 40.

In Fig. 5 I show a further modification in which the shank of the roller cutter unit is provided with stepped shoulders 41 of different diameters facing upwardly, the larger diameter shoulder bein lowermost, and in the bore or recess of t e head are complementary shoulders. These shoulders are so related that when the shank of the unit is seated in the recess there will be a space between the shoulderon the shank and the opposing shoulder in the recess or socket, and 1n thls space gaskets 45 and 46 will be located to make an oil tight joint above and below the port or passage which conveys the oil from, the duct in the head to the duct in the shank.

The shank is provided at its upper end with means 42 by which it is held up in place. This means may be such as that shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me July 19, 1927, No. 1,636,668, or No.

1,636,669 (Blauvelt assignor), by which the gaskets will be under sufficient compression to make a tight joint. As in the patents re- `.ferred to, the roller cutter unit has a base portion 43 'to contact with the inclined lower surface of the head at the end of the bit head. This wall forms the abutment which resists the upward thrust to which the roller cutter unit lssubjected. The` shoulders are so related that when the base of the unit is seated against the lower end of the head the gasket will be under the desired compression to make anjoil seal.

Roller cutters 44 are mounted on the lower part of the units as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

1. In combination with the bit head having a recess to receive the shank of a roller cut.- ter unit, and provided with stepped shoulders within said recess, a .roller cutter unit having a shank fitted to said recess with shoulders complementary to those of the recess, gaskets between said shoulders, an oil conduit extending acros`s the 'oint between the shank and recess wall and tween the gaskets, said unit having a base portion to lseat against the lower end of the head, and means for holding` the lshank of the unit in the head, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a bit head having a recess to iixedly receive the shank of a roller cutter unit, a roller cutter unit having a shank removably and non-rotatably fixed in said recess, communicating oil conduits in the shank and head, and means for sealing the joint between the shank and the head adjacent the juncture of the oil conduits to prevent oil leakage throu h said joint, said conduits extending throug the bodies of the shank and head from their fixed point of communication.

3. Ap aratus according to claim 2 in Which said sea ing means comprises gaskets surrounding the shank and sealing the circum'- ferential contact of the shank with the head above and below the juncture of the oil conduits.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said recess and shank are of eneral cylindrical shape and provided wit .complementary stepped shoulders aboveand below the juncture of the oil conduits, and said sealing means comprises askets surrounding the shank and disposed tween said shoulders, and means for holding the shank of the unit in the head with the gaskets clamped between the complementary shoulders and preventing leakage of oil past said sholders.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said recess and shank are of general cylindrical shape but having upper and lower cylindrical portions of relatively small and large diameter res actively, and an intermediate portion o intermediate diameter, the oil conduit in said head opening diametioo ave-asu ricallyl of the intermediate ortion of the recess, and the oil conduit in the shank opening diametrically of the intermediate portion thereof to communicate with the 'oil conduit in the head, said upper lower and intermediate portions of the shank and recess providing complementary shoulders to receive the said sealing means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said recess and shank have upper and lower portions of relatively small and large crosssectional area respectivel and an intermediate portion of interme 'ate cross-sectional area, the oil conduits in said shank and head communicating at the said intermediate portions thereof, said upper, lower and intermediate portions of the shank and recess providing complementary shoulders above and below the oil passage to receive .the sealing' means.

7. In combination with a head, a roller cutter unit having a'shank removably and non-rotatably fixed therein, communicating oil conduits in the shank and head, means for sealing the joint between the head and shank, ad]acent said communicating oil conduits to revent oil leakage through said joint, sai conduits communicating in a direction transversely to the axis of'said shank and connecting with a longitudinal duct with which said shank is provided, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

CLARENCE E. REED. 

